Theresa May, Michael Gove and other ministers have pulled out at the 11th hour
from an alternative Conservative party conference next week.

The Cabinet minsters, along with junior Culture minster Ed Vaizey had been lined up to speak at next weekend’s Conservative Renewal conference.

However with days to go, the organisers said that they had pulled out, amid claims that they had come under pressure from an unhappy 10 Downing Street.

A Conservative Renewal spokesman said that it had only been told on Thursday about the withdrawals, in what appeared to be a coordinated move.

He said: “We regret to announce that yesterday morning Michael Gove informed us that he could no longer come to the conference. This was followed later in the day by Theresa May saying the same. Both declined to give any reason.

However, the emphasis of Conservative Renewal is on free-speaking and member debate. He said: “Ed Vaizey and [Conservative MEP] Richard Ashworth have also pulled out, also giving no reason, together with Toby Young from a few days ago.”

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In a letter to delegates, Phil Sage, Richard Hyslop and George Bathurst, the conference’s Co-Founders, blamed a “last minute concerted effort by the Conservative leadership to discourage people from speaking at our conference.

“Consequently a number of speakers subject to such influence have withdrawn and it may be that more withdraw or don’t turn up on the day. Withdrawals with no explanation since yesterday morning include Michael Gove, Theresa May and Ed Vaizey.

“As a result we are unable to guarantee that all the sessions will run as advertised. “This is a great shame as last year there was no criticism at all of the leadership as we focused on debating the issues, exactly as we promised.”

They said that they would refund anyone who had paid the £29 ticket price and who now felt unable to come after the withdrawals.

Later the organisers announced that Jesse Norman MP, who was sacked as a Number 10 policy adviser this week, will take Mr Gove’s space at the conference.

Sources said they thought that the Tory high command was concerned that the conference was being opened by Adam Afriyie MP, who is the area’s local MP and who is being touted as a possible successor to Mr Cameron.

Others suggested that there was some nervousness that members of the United Kingdom Independence Party were allowed to attend.

A Number 10 source declined to comment when asked directly whether the ministers had been ordered not to attend. The source said: “It is up to the individuals whether or not they attend.”

Spokesman for Mrs May and Mr Gove declined to return calls. Aides to Prime Minister David Cameron are known to be wary of the apparent leadership ambitions of both Mrs May and Mr Gove.

CCHQ move

The Conservatives are quitting their offices on Millbank and moving into new premises a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliament.

The party has decided to vacate its offices in Millbank Tower and move to a new base in Matthew Parker Street, in the heart of Westminster.

Grant Shapps, the co-chairman, is understood to want to move operations closer to the Commons and back within the division bell to make it easier for MPs to drop in.

The new offices are understood to cost more to rent than Millbank. One source said the party wanted to recreate the atmosphere of the party’s former offices in Smith Square, the scene of election triumphs under John Major and Margaret Thatcher.

The source said: “They are about showing we’re serious about winning the election. This is intended as our long term home – the king of thing we have not had since Smith Square.”